The Heart is a Drum Machine (2010)

I'm a bit of a factual enthusiast. Throughout the course of university life, many (well-spent) hours were filled with knitting (yeah, I know) and exploring cyberspace for enlightenment through documentaries. I mean it when I say that I'm an encyclopaedia of useless information - useless in the sense that it will only come to benefit me if humanity faces a New World Order, or when (I stress when) aliens take over the world- THEN I can turn around and shout "TO THE BUNKERS", with a smug expression on my face and a complete advantage over the rest of you sceptics. 

Anyway, had I known of this documentary before I wrote my dissertation (which happened to be on alternative representations of gender in music), I would have probably written it in celebration of this spectacular film. It's incredibly fascinating, and I recommend it to anyone who feels as passionately as I do about the power of music and the emotional grasp it has on so many of us. 

Released in 2010 and directed by Christopher Pomerenke, The Heart is a Drum Machine asks the supposedly straight-forward question "What is music?", evidently establishing how complicated in fact, a direct answer to this really is. Why is it that music has such a profound effect on people? It is easy to break down music as an organized choreography of sounds and vibrations, but there's a fundamental enigma in the extent of the emotional complexity music demonstrates on all groups of individuals - ranging from all cultures and backgrounds, to artists, performers, listeners and those who can't hear anything at all. 

With an expansive list of guest speakers ranging from recognized musicians and actors to musicologists and scientists, The Heart is a Drum Machine focuses on the universal vitality and manifestation of music, and the different ways music can be experienced visually, aurally, and even physically. Touching upon Voyager's Golden Record that was sent into space in the 70s, to the scientific evidence demonstrating temporary antidepressant effects, this documentary embraces the beauty of music and the psychological significance it has upon all of us.

For those interested, I've placed the trailer below for your viewing but I strongly suggest you put an hour aside to sit down and watch this from start to end. It's a beautifully made documentary with a retro feel, and if you're anything like me, you'll be squealing at every artist or musician you recognize, as well as umming & ahhing at every scientific explanation and truth that makes you realize how truly significant music is to each and everyone of us.